Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Localization Of Foxo4 Transcription Factor In U87mg Glioblastoma Cell Line, Millat Jahan

Theses and Dissertations

FOXO transcription factors perform diverse functions that have effects on significant biological processes like stem cell homeostasis, cell cycle, apoptosis, and cell fate determination. This research focuses on FOXO4 that is differentially localized in U87MG glioblastoma cells where FOXO4 is targeted to the nucleus. This research is aimed at investigating the mechanism and localization of FOXO4 in U87MG cell lines. Using chimeric fusion construct, we have mapped regions within FOXO factors that can determine specific cellular localization patterns. Finding the mechanism behind specific nuclear localization of FOXO4 can produce innovative data to better understand the distinctive subcellular localization patterns in …

Vertical Transmission Of Zika Virus In Monodelphis Domestica, Mohini Moulick

Theses and Dissertations

Zika Viral infection in pregnant women may lead to infants born with microcephaly and other neurological complications, making Zika viral research imperative. Prior research demonstrated Monodelphis domestica to be a unique animal model for Zika virus studies, and viral proteins were detected in brain tissue of juveniles after intracerebral inoculation of infants. We wanted to determine if we can detect a viral protein, non-structural protein 1 (NS1), in brain tissue after intraperitoneal inoculation and we found it to be possible through immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. We also investigated if inoculated dams (mothers) would give rise to Zika positive pups (natural inoculation), …

Fungal Plant Pathogens Affecting Crops In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Isabel Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) located in South Texas has a subtropical and humid environment which is conducive for plant disease. In Chapter 1, Southern blight caused by Athelia rolfsii was collected from Edinburg, Texas in tomato and bean crops. The present study focused on assessing the role of temperature on growth and sclerotia production. We found that there is an optimal growing temperature for both hyphal growth and sclerotia production. In Chapter 2, red rot fungal disease was collected from sugarcane in Texas. Morphology, pathogenicity, effects of temperature, and biocontrol agents were assessed. Isolate morphology closely resembled Fusarium …

Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials And Nanocomposites For Sensing, Separation, And Energy Applications, Md Ashiqur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Two-dimension (2D) nanomaterials have gained popularity for the last few decades due to their excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. These unique properties of 2D nanomaterials can be exploited in various applications specially in sensor, energy, and separation devices. In this study, the sensing and energy generation performance of PVDF/PAni fiber mat systems made by the forcespinning method with and without graphene coating. The graphene-coated nanocomposites show an average output voltage of 75 mV (peak-to-peak) which is 300% higher compared to bare fiber mats and an output current of 24 mA (peak-to-peak) by gentle finger pressing. Moreover, the graphene-coated PVDF/PAni …

Manufacturing Of A Flexible Piezoelectric Nanogenerator By Functionalizing Polyvinylidene Fluoride With Lithium Tantalate And Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes For Energy Harvesting And Sensing Applications, Islam Uddin Shipu

Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical energy is one of the readily accessible green energy sources that could be employed to meet the small-scale energy requirement. In order to capture mechanical energy, power the next generation of electronic gadgets, and health monitoring flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators made of light weight polymers and carbon nanotubes have drawn a lot of attention. Lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), a ferroelectric substance, was prepared here and utilized to create a flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator (FPNG). A compact piezoelectric nanogenerator that successfully transfers mechanical energy into electricity was then created using lightweight polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and LiTaO3 nanoparticles. To create …

Fedbiometric: Image Features Based Biometric Presentation Attack Detection Using Hybrid Cnns-Svm In Federated Learning, S M Sarwar

Theses and Dissertations

In the past few years, biometric identification systems have become popular for personal, national, and global security. In addition to other biometric modalities, facial and fingerprint recognition have gained popularity due to their uniqueness, stability, convenience, and cost-effectiveness compared to other biometric modalities. However, the evolution of fake biometrics, such as printed materials, 2D or 3D faces, makeup, and cosmetics, has brought new challenges. As a result of these modifications, several facial and fingerprint Presentation Attack Detection methods have been proposed to distinguish between live and spoof faces or fingerprints. Federated learning can play a significant role in this problem …

A Preliminary Characterization And Assessment Of Mesophotic Octocoral Microbiomes In The Western Gulf Of Mexico, Edward P. Gniffke

Theses and Dissertations

Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems are highly diverse and productive ecosystems in the western Gulf of Mexico which are composed of, in part, by octocorals (subclass Octocorallia). Despite their importance as foundational organisms octocorals are an understudied group in this region, with little known about their microbial community. Ninety-eight Octocoral samples collected from the western and northwestern Gulf of Mexico were sequenced using 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize their microbial communities. The sequenced microbiomes were generally low in diversity composed of a few core microbial taxa. Octocoral group was the main driver of microbiome composition as opposed to depth, season, region, and …

A Novel Technique To Solve Fractional Differential Equations Using Fractional-Order B-Polynomial Basis Set, Md Habibur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses B-Polynomial bases to solve both one-dimensional and multi-dimensional linear and nonlinear partial differential equations and linear and nonlinear fractional differential equations. The approach involves constructing an operational matrix from the terms of these equations using Caputo's fractional derivative of fractional B-polynomials. This leads to a semi-analytical solution derived from a matrix equation, and the results obtained using this method are compared to analytical and numerical solutions presented by other authors. The method is shown to be effective in calculating approximate solutions for various differential equations and provides a higher accuracy level than finite difference methods. This technique …

Effect Of Pre-Growth Conditions On Foodborne Pathogen Survival Kinetics In Fresh Produce, Avninder Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

World-wide consumption of fresh-cut produce has seen a dramatic increase over the past few decades. However, fresh-cut produce has been implicated in several illness outbreaks due to contamination with foodborne bacterial pathogens. Post-harvest contamination during handling and processing is considered rare but several influencing factors are often overlooked. Specifically, studies have reported the growth, survival, and death kinetics of foodborne bacterial pathogens such as E. coli O157: H7, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in different fresh and fresh-cut produce. The effect of various factors such as storage temperature, time, and relative humidity are widely explored. It is increasingly evident that microbial …

Simulating Motion Success With Muscle Deficiency In A Musculoskeletal Model Using Reinforcement Learning, Daniel Castillo

Theses and Dissertations

Humans possess an extraordinary ability to execute complex movements, captivating the attention of researchers who strive to develop methods for simulating these actions within a physics-based environment. Motion Capture data stands out as a crucial tool among the proven approaches to tackle this challenge. In this research, we explore the effects of decreased muscle force on the body's capacity to perform various tasks, ranging from simple walking to executing complex jumping jacks. Through a systematic reduction of the allowed force applied to individual muscles or muscle groups, we aim to identify the threshold at which the body's muscles tolerate the …

Organocatalyzed Four-Component On-Water Green Synthesis Of Spiroindolinpyranopyrazole, Tanzida Zubair

Theses and Dissertations

Although many synthetic and natural pharmaceuticals and drug-like compounds contain spiro center(s) in their structures, the synthesis of spiro centers is seen to be an exciting and difficult area of research. The synthesis of spiro compounds and their derivatives was carried out using a four-component process that included reagents like hydrazine hydrate, isatin, malononitrile, and an active methylene compound like ethyl acetoacetate. Microwave irradiation was used in a short time range (5 – 30 min) and moderate temperature (80°C), with water as a solvent, and N, N-Diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) as a catalyst to give high yield of products. Our process complies …

The Effects Of Caffeine On Activity Levels And Motor Behaviors In The Honeybee, Apis Mellifera, Johana Castro

Theses and Dissertations

Caffeine is produced by plants as a defense mechanism against herbivores and pathogens. However, caffeine was found in floral nectar, which contradicts nectar's role in attracting pollinators. Interestingly, low concentrations of caffeine were shown to increase alertness and locomotion in mammals and invertebrates, indicating it may enhance the productivity of pollinators. This investigation examined how caffeine affects activity levels and motor behaviors in the honey bee, Apis mellifera. To test overall activity, forager bees were collected and fed 1 M sucrose to satiation. The following day, bees received 10 µl of 1.0 M sucrose alone or with caffeine ranging from …

Understanding The Distribution And Abundance Of Asclepias Prostrata In South Texas, Elizabeth Ann Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

Asclepias prostrata, commonly referred to as prostrate milkweed, is a rare South Texas native plant species. In February of 2023, A. prostrata was listed as a federally endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Due to the limited available observations and literature for A. prostrata, this study was completed to bring new information that could be utilized for future restorative efforts. This study includes multiple field observations of the plant’s morphology, plant-insect interactions, extraction and transplanting of the species, and a seed viability study. Results indicate that although A. prostrata has many pressures that limit its …

Securely Ever After: Attachment,Trust, And Commitment In Married Adult Adoptees, Jill P. Burgon

Theses and Dissertations

Past research suggests that adoptees face a higher risk of insecure attachment and encounter more challenges related to trust and commitment in their romantic relationships compared to nonadopted individuals. This study examines the association between adoption status and marital security among newly married couples, with a focus on the potential moderating role of gender. Using data from a representative sample of newly married couples in the United States (n = 2,110), the relationship between adoption status and multiple measures of marital security were measured using OLS regression. Findings indicate that, during the early stages of marriage, adult adoptees exhibited comparable …

Studies Of Intracellular Trafficking Of Phospholipids Triggered By Osh6, Ilham Hassoon Kadhim

Theses and Dissertations

Yeast vacuoles (mammalian lysosomes) and their closely related organelle late endosomes (LE) play a central role in anti-aging processes since they host the target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1). A recent study showed that the vacuolar TORC1 stimulates protein synthesis and cell growth while the late endosomal TORC1 inhibits autophagy, an anti-aging process. This raises a question as to which membrane trafficking pathways toward LE/vacuoles are critical in controlling endosomal TORC1 and anti-aging processes. Members of the family of oxysterol-binding proteins mediate non-vesicular lipid transport between membranes and contribute to longevity in different manners. We previously found that a 2-fold …

Did Covid Change Everything Or Nothing At All? Canadian Family Life During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Carlee Guenther Dynes

Theses and Dissertations

In March of 2020, Canada, along with the rest of the world, declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency and responded with society-wide lockdowns, granting exceptions only for essential workers. Canadians across all demographic categories were significantly impacted, and many parents of children under 18 faced the difficult task of caring for their children while simultaneously meeting their work obligations. Using novel in-depth interview data from 30 Canadian parents (in 15 couples) collected between April 2022 and May 2023, I explore three main changes to family life resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic: expanded family-friendly work practices, increased time with nuclear …

From Waste To Energy: The Electrochemical Reduction Of Co2 Using Recycled Nanostructured Catalysts, Ibrahim Badawy

Theses and Dissertations

The reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂RR) using electrochemistry is a promising solution for the burgeoning global energy crisis. The overall vision of its implementation relies on renewable energy sources to power the reaction creating carbon neutral products and effectively closing the carbon cycle. Research in this field has come a long way since its inception in the mid-1900s. However, there remain significant hurdles and important considerations to overcome in order to reach full commercialization. Most electrocatalysts tested for CO₂RR have been designed solely for maximum performance while ignoring the environmental consequences if such a material were …

Tunable Sns-Imine Ligated Complexes Of Copper And Nickel: Apllication In Photocatalytic Water Remediation, Temitayo Oluwayinka Falola

Theses and Dissertations

Water is an essential natural resource for life; its importance cuts across most of humanity’s needs. However, the growing need for industrialization with the subsequent discharge of effluents has led to an urgent need to remove pollutants found in all bodies of water. These polluted waters are a danger to the Earth’s ecosystems. Therefore, meeting and maintaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Number 6, “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” is important. To this end, we synthesized a series of imine-ligated nickel and copper catalysts for use in the photocatalytic remediation of water containing …

Investigating The Longitudinal Relationship Between Social Motivation And Depression In Autistic Adults, Robyn H. Himelstein

Theses and Dissertations

Autism affects individuals across the lifespan, yet there tends to be limited research and services for autistic adults. This is especially concerning given that autistic adults have high mental health needs, with depression being one of the most common and clinically significant co-occurring conditions. We explored the longitudinal relationships between social motivation, social access (i.e., having opportunities for meaningful social interactions), loneliness, and depression in N=303 autistic adults ages 18-65. Participants completed online surveys about social behavior and wellbeing three times over 3–4 months. We hypothesized that an interaction between higher social motivation and lower social access at Time 1 …

All That Is Cyber Melts Into Control: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Cybernetic Metaphors, Cem İsmail Addemir

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis historicizes and interprets the logic of cybernetics as a communication technology and how it shaped notions of control in the mid-20th century. To situate my analysis, I focus on cybernetics, the tradition within communication studies that focuses on controlling communication through the application of feedback loops to a particular system. Since the discovery and popularization of cybernetics by the late 1950s, its central logic has been widely applied to computational technology and influenced future systems theories. Specifically, my thesis employs a rhetorical examination of cybernetic metaphors through metaphor criticism to trace the genealogy of cybernetic discourses that I …

Finding The Why: Trauma's Origins And Effects In Morrison's The Bluest Eye, Hope Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the effects of Toni Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest Eye, on its readers and the public discourse surrounding the central issue of systemic racism and incest. The central focus of the analysis is trauma in the novel: how Morrison captures that trauma in writing, how the reader encounters and interprets that trauma, and the effects of that trauma on the narrative and the reader. To construct this argument, I apply the lenses of reader response criticism, psychoanalysis, and trauma studies to the novel.

Morrison expressed concern that readers would miss the crucial message of why the …

Leptopilina Heterotoma Responds To A Change In Host Species With Specific Altered Protein Expression, Dakota Fuss

Theses and Dissertations

Leptopilina heterotoma is a generalist endoparasitoid wasp that parasitizes Drosophila spp. worldwide. When L. heterotoma oviposits within the prey larvae it also injects venom to suppress the melanotic encapsulation immune response of the host. Without the venom to protect the egg(s) from host immunity, the parasitism would result in failure. L. heterotoma venom is composed of proteins, non-protein compounds, and virus-like particles (VLPs), of which proteins make up the majority of the venom and are the main determining factor conferring venom function (Goecks et al. 2013, Heavner et al. 2013, Moreau and Asgari 2015, Small et al. 2012). Previous studies …

The Effects Of Ketones On Brain Metabolism And Cognition, Erin Reiko Saito

Theses and Dissertations

The brain is one of the most energetically demanding organs within the human body and is cognitively susceptible to energetic deficits such that the rise in obesity, insulin resistance, and Alzheimer’s disease in recent decades pose a substantial threat to cognitive longevity. The therapeutic efficacy of ketones are well-established in epilepsy and are currently being applied to other disease states. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by impairments in brain glucose uptake and metabolism in regions relevant to learning, memory, and cognition that progress with the disease. While brain glucose uptake is impaired, ketone uptake is unaltered, potentially enabling ketones to fuel …

Relationships Between Running Biomechanics And Femoral Articular Cartilage Thickness And Composition In Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Patients, Hyunwook Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) have demonstrated morphological and compositional changes in femoral articular cartilage. However, it is unclear how running biomechanics are associated with femoral cartilage thickness and composition for both ACLR patients and controls. Objectives: (1) to compare measures of femoral cartilage thickness and composition between ACLR patients and matched non-ACLR controls at resting, (2) to investigate how 30 minutes of running influences the aforementioned measures for ACLR patients and controls, and (3) to investigate relationships between running biomechanics and knee cartilage thickness and composition in ACLR patients and controls. Methods: Twenty ACLR patients (age: …

The Development Of An Effective Synthetic Pathway To The Hiv Protease Inhibitor Darunavir And Its Structural Derivatives For Sar Studies Via An Asymmetric Glycolate Aldol Addition Reaction Approach, Emmanuel Ayim

Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for disease control and Prevention (CDC) published an article describing the disease that would later become known as HIV/AIDS in 1981. There were no treatments for this new disease, and by the time patients began exhibiting detectable symptoms, it would be too late to provide any meaningful treatments. Through the efforts made by the scientific community and social activism, new classes of drugs appeared for the treatment of this disease. These drugs are highly effective when combined with other therapeutic agents that suppress the proliferation of the virus. These combined therapies have helped alleviate the previously insurmountable risks …

Exploring The Heterogeneity Of Dopamine Signaling In The Rat Striatum, Rebecca Louise Chicosky

Theses and Dissertations

Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter critical for locomotion, motivation, and reward learning and has implications in the neuropathologies of Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder. The rat striatum, which receives the densest DA innervation in the entire rat brain, shows distinct heterogeneity at different anatomical levels, e.g., dorsal and ventral subregions, patch and matrix compartments, and microdomains. The previous use of carbon-fiber microelectrodes (CFM), a single site microsensor coupled to fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV), has limited the ability to view and characterize this DA heterogeneity. Furthermore, studies examining the effects of amphetamine (AMPH), a psychostimulant with clinical efficacy and …

Individualized Therapeutic Composition As A Method Of Improving Sleep Quality In College Students, Nicholas Lanz

Theses and Dissertations

The life of a college student is often bombarded with circumstances, emotions, and decisions that produce stress and anxiety, affecting sleep quality and daily function. Listening to music designed for relaxation has the potential to decrease stress and improve factors of healthy sleep quality. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of listening to music uniquely composed for each individual on stress relief and sleep quality in college students. The music therapy intervention utilized in this study was individual composition sessions. The researcher met with each participant individually to compose an instrumental piece of music that was …

Investigating The Antibiotic Potentiating Effects Of A Novel Reactive Oxidant Species-Generating Antimicrobial., Gracious Yoofi Boafo Donkor

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the rise in antimicrobic resistance and the decline in antibiotic discovery, drug development has expanded into alternative antimicrobial compounds, such as silver. Silver-containing compounds have emerged as a promising alternative due to their multi-specific effects on inhibiting bacterial growth. Our work focuses on the antimicrobial effects of AGXX, a novel antimicrobial which has been shown to exert its broad-spectrum effects through the production of highly cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although preliminary studies have demonstrated the potency of AGXX in gram-positive pathogens, its effects on gram-negative pathogens remain largely unknown. The goal of my thesis was to examine …

Ensemble Of Handcrafted Features Of Environment Sound Classification Using A Deep Convolutional Neural Network To Enhance Accuracy And Reduce Computational Complexity, Ibrahim Abdulrahman Aljubayri

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental sound classification (ESC) is an area of active research in signal and image processing that has made significant strides over the past several years. The goal of ESC is to classify environmental sounds by extracting and analyzing handcrafted and deep features from various acoustic events. The task is complex because environmental sounds are typically unstructured, nonstationary, and overlapping. Multiple deep learning (DL) approaches have successfully tackled the ESC problem and outperformed conventional classifiers like k-nearest neighbors (kNN) or support vector machine (SVM). However, most DL approaches have high computational costs, making them unsuitable for use in embedded systems applications. …

Study Of Non-Covalent Interactions Using Molecular Rotors And Balances, Daniel Onyekachi Madukwe

Theses and Dissertations

The main focus of this dissertation is on the quantification of non-covalent interactions using molecular rotors and balances. While molecular rotors were used to measure kinetic effects of weak non-covalent interactions, molecular balances were used to measure their thermodynamic effects. Chapters 1 and 2 focus on the use of molecular rotors in measuring and studying the kinetic effects of the hydrogen bonding interaction on the bond rotation transition states. Chapters 3 and 4 focus on the quantification of lone pair – lone pair and sp²-CH/π interactions respectively, using molecular balances. These studies were carried out in the …